Counties in Nebraska by covered employment (QCEW)

Douglas County had the highest covered employment (QCEW) of 93 counties in 2016, at 336,971 jobs. McPherson County had the lowest, at 78 jobs. The median was 2,176 jobs and the figure for Nebraska was 968,601 jobs. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest336,971Douglas County
Median2,17693 counties
Nebraska968,601History

Map of counties, 2016

Adams County: 15,513 jobsAntelope County: 2,140 jobsArthur County: 84 jobsBanner County: 129 jobsBlaine County: 125 jobsBoone County: 2,371 jobsBox Butte County: 3,860 jobsBoyd County: 600 jobsBrown County: 1,200 jobsBuffalo County: 27,079 jobsBurt County: 1,881 jobsButler County: 2,556 jobsCass County: 5,647 jobsCedar County: 2,658 jobsChase County: 1,824 jobsCherry County: 2,389 jobsCheyenne County: 5,485 jobsClay County: 2,420 jobsColfax County: 5,153 jobsCuming County: 3,723 jobsCuster County: 4,501 jobsDakota County: 12,469 jobsDawes County: 3,309 jobsDawson County: 11,436 jobsDeuel County: 592 jobsDixon County: 1,714 jobsDodge County: 17,096 jobsDouglas County: 336,971 jobsDundy County: 565 jobsFillmore County: 2,176 jobsFranklin County: 753 jobsFrontier County: 807 jobsFurnas County: 2,060 jobsGage County: 9,226 jobsGarden County: 559 jobsGarfield County: 811 jobsGosper County: 395 jobsGrant County: 281 jobsGreeley County: 616 jobsHall County: 34,742 jobsHamilton County: 3,537 jobsHarlan County: 840 jobsHayes County: 201 jobsHitchcock County: 688 jobsHolt County: 4,594 jobsHooker County: 302 jobsHoward County: 1,608 jobsJefferson County: 3,343 jobsJohnson County: 1,597 jobsKearney County: 2,185 jobsKeith County: 3,380 jobsKeya Paha County: 151 jobsKimball County: 1,352 jobsKnox County: 2,966 jobsLancaster County: 168,495 jobsLincoln County: 14,926 jobsLogan County: 187 jobsLoup County: 120 jobsMcPherson County: 78 jobsMadison County: 21,672 jobsMerrick County: 2,263 jobsMorrill County: 1,527 jobsNance County: 1,053 jobsNemaha County: 3,095 jobsNuckolls County: 1,438 jobsOtoe County: 6,283 jobsPawnee County: 895 jobsPerkins County: 1,136 jobsPhelps County: 4,734 jobsPierce County: 2,012 jobsPlatte County: 18,430 jobsPolk County: 1,460 jobsRed Willow County: 5,179 jobsRichardson County: 2,504 jobsRock County: 471 jobsSaline County: 7,135 jobsSarpy County: 69,149 jobsSaunders County: 5,336 jobsScotts Bluff County: 17,199 jobsSeward County: 6,243 jobsSheridan County: 1,757 jobsSherman County: 817 jobsSioux County: 157 jobsStanton County: 1,285 jobsThayer County: 2,411 jobsThomas County: 274 jobsThurston County: 2,933 jobsValley County: 1,800 jobsWashington County: 8,070 jobsWayne County: 4,122 jobsWebster County: 1,070 jobsWheeler County: 317 jobsYork County: 7,762 jobs
  • Under 1,000
  • 1,000 to 2,000
  • 2,000 to 3,000
  • 3,000 to 8,000
  • 8,000 and over
jobs, 2016. Source: BLS, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average employment, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2016

Douglas County: 336,971 jobsDouglas County336,971Lancaster County: 168,495 jobsLancaster County168,495Sarpy County: 69,149 jobsSarpy County69,149Hall County: 34,742 jobsHall County34,742Buffalo County: 27,079 jobsBuffalo County27,079Madison County: 21,672 jobsMadison County21,672Platte County: 18,430 jobsPlatte County18,430Scotts Bluff County: 17,199 jobsScotts Bluff County17,199Dodge County: 17,096 jobsDodge County17,096Adams County: 15,513 jobsAdams County15,513Lincoln County: 14,926 jobsLincoln County14,926Dakota County: 12,469 jobsDakota County12,469Dawson County: 11,436 jobsDawson County11,436Gage County: 9,226 jobsGage County9,226Washington County: 8,070 jobsWashington County8,070York County: 7,762 jobsYork County7,762Saline County: 7,135 jobsSaline County7,135Otoe County: 6,283 jobsOtoe County6,283Seward County: 6,243 jobsSeward County6,243Cass County: 5,647 jobsCass County5,647Cheyenne County: 5,485 jobsCheyenne County5,485Saunders County: 5,336 jobsSaunders County5,336Red Willow County: 5,179 jobsRed Willow County5,179Colfax County: 5,153 jobsColfax County5,153Phelps County: 4,734 jobsPhelps County4,734Holt County: 4,594 jobsHolt County4,594Custer County: 4,501 jobsCuster County4,501Wayne County: 4,122 jobsWayne County4,122Box Butte County: 3,860 jobsBox Butte County3,860Cuming County: 3,723 jobsCuming County3,723Hamilton County: 3,537 jobsHamilton County3,537Keith County: 3,380 jobsKeith County3,380Jefferson County: 3,343 jobsJefferson County3,343Dawes County: 3,309 jobsDawes County3,309Nemaha County: 3,095 jobsNemaha County3,095Knox County: 2,966 jobsKnox County2,966Thurston County: 2,933 jobsThurston County2,933Cedar County: 2,658 jobsCedar County2,658Butler County: 2,556 jobsButler County2,556Richardson County: 2,504 jobsRichardson County2,504Douglas County: 336,971 jobsDouglas County336,971Lancaster County: 168,495 jobsLancaster County168,495Sarpy County: 69,149 jobsSarpy County69,149Hall County: 34,742 jobsHall County34,742Buffalo County: 27,079 jobsBuffalo County27,079Madison County: 21,672 jobsMadison County21,672Platte County: 18,430 jobsPlatte County18,430Scotts Bluff County: 17,199 jobsScotts Bluff County17,199Dodge County: 17,096 jobsDodge County17,096Adams County: 15,513 jobsAdams County15,513Lincoln County: 14,926 jobsLincoln County14,926Dakota County: 12,469 jobsDakota County12,469Dawson County: 11,436 jobsDawson County11,436Gage County: 9,226 jobsGage County9,226Washington County: 8,070 jobsWashington County8,070York County: 7,762 jobsYork County7,762Saline County: 7,135 jobsSaline County7,135Otoe County: 6,283 jobsOtoe County6,283Seward County: 6,243 jobsSeward County6,243Cass County: 5,647 jobsCass County5,647Cheyenne County: 5,485 jobsCheyenne County5,485Saunders County: 5,336 jobsSaunders County5,336Red Willow County: 5,179 jobsRed Willow County5,179Colfax County: 5,153 jobsColfax County5,153Phelps County: 4,734 jobsPhelps County4,734Holt County: 4,594 jobsHolt County4,594Custer County: 4,501 jobsCuster County4,501Wayne County: 4,122 jobsWayne County4,122Box Butte County: 3,860 jobsBox Butte County3,860Cuming County: 3,723 jobsCuming County3,723Hamilton County: 3,537 jobsHamilton County3,537Keith County: 3,380 jobsKeith County3,380Jefferson County: 3,343 jobsJefferson County3,343Dawes County: 3,309 jobsDawes County3,309Nemaha County: 3,095 jobsNemaha County3,095Knox County: 2,966 jobsKnox County2,966Thurston County: 2,933 jobsThurston County2,933Cedar County: 2,658 jobsCedar County2,658Butler County: 2,556 jobsButler County2,556Richardson County: 2,504 jobsRichardson County2,504
jobs. Source: BLS, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average employment, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2016
jobs
Change on 2015
1Douglas County336,971+1.4%
2Lancaster County168,495+1.5%
3Sarpy County69,149+1.9%
4Hall County34,742+0.5%
5Buffalo County27,079+0.9%
6Madison County21,672+0.2%
7Platte County18,430-1%
8Scotts Bluff County17,199+1.8%
9Dodge County17,096+0.8%
10Adams County15,513+0.9%
11Lincoln County14,926+1.7%
12Dakota County12,469-0.2%
13Dawson County11,436-0.1%
14Gage County9,226+1.3%
15Washington County8,070-1.2%
16York County7,762+1.6%
17Saline County7,135+1.5%
18Otoe County6,283+1%
19Seward County6,243+0.3%
20Cass County5,647+3.2%
21Cheyenne County5,485-6.2%
22Saunders County5,336+0.4%
23Red Willow County5,179-1.2%
24Colfax County5,153+1.5%
25Phelps County4,734-0.4%
26Holt County4,594+0.3%
27Custer County4,501+1.4%
28Wayne County4,122+1%
29Box Butte County3,860-1.3%
30Cuming County3,723-2.4%
31Hamilton County3,537+1.3%
32Keith County3,380-1.5%
33Jefferson County3,3430%
34Dawes County3,309-1.2%
35Nemaha County3,095-1.7%
36Knox County2,966+0.5%
37Thurston County2,933+1.4%
38Cedar County2,658-2.9%
39Butler County2,556-3.9%
40Richardson County2,504-1%
41Clay County2,420-3.7%
42Thayer County2,411-2%
43Cherry County2,389+2%
44Boone County2,371-0.1%
45Merrick County2,263-1.5%
46Kearney County2,185-2.8%
47Fillmore County2,176-1.8%
48Antelope County2,140+0.5%
49Furnas County2,0600%
50Pierce County2,012-0.3%
51Burt County1,881-1.3%
52Chase County1,824-1.9%
53Valley County1,800+3%
54Sheridan County1,757+1.2%
55Dixon County1,714+1.6%
56Howard County1,608-0.9%
57Johnson County1,597-2.4%
58Morrill County1,527+0.1%
59Polk County1,460-1.3%
60Nuckolls County1,438-0.1%
61Kimball County1,352-5.6%
62Stanton County1,285-4%
63Brown County1,200-0.9%
64Perkins County1,136-1.1%
65Webster County1,070+0.5%
66Nance County1,053-5.6%
67Pawnee County895+0.1%
68Harlan County840-2.3%
69Sherman County817+1.5%
70Garfield County811-4.4%
71Frontier County807+4.9%
72Franklin County753-1.4%
73Hitchcock County688-0.6%
74Greeley County616-0.8%
75Boyd County600+2.6%
76Deuel County592+1.7%
77Dundy County565-2.1%
78Garden County559+0.2%
79Rock County471+6.3%
80Gosper County395-3.2%
81Wheeler County317-1.6%
82Hooker County302-1.3%
83Grant County281+6.4%
84Thomas County274+4.2%
85Hayes County201-1.5%
86Logan County187-2.1%
87Sioux County157+2.6%
88Keya Paha County151-6.8%
89Banner County129-16.2%
90Blaine County125-3.1%
91Loup County120+12.1%
92Arthur County84-4.5%
93McPherson County78-3.7%

Other periods

About this ranking

Average number of jobs covered by unemployment insurance during the year, all industries, private and government, from the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Counted where the job is located, from the reports employers file each quarter; monthly employment counts the jobs in the pay period that includes the 12th.

Counts jobs, not people: someone with two jobs counts twice. Covers about 95 percent of US wage and salary jobs. Excludes the self-employed, most agricultural workers on small farms, the armed forces, elected officials in most states, most railroad employees, some domestic workers and most student workers at schools. A count of employer reports, not a survey estimate like oews_employment.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the counties are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average employment, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2016/a/industry/10.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Citation styles

The publisher is the author. Invokely is named only as the place the figures were read, where a style asks for it.

APA 7

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2026). Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average employment, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties (Counties in Nebraska by covered employment (QCEW), 2016) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2016/a/industry/10.csv

MLA 9

Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average employment, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties, Counties in Nebraska by covered employment (QCEW), 2016. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 21 Aug. 2026, https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2016/a/industry/10.csv. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/nebraska-counties?period=2016. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. 2026. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average employment, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. Counties in Nebraska by covered employment (QCEW), 2016. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2016/a/industry/10.csv. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/nebraska-counties?period=2016.

Harvard

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2026) Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average employment, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties, Counties in Nebraska by covered employment (QCEW), 2016 [Dataset]. Available at: https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2016/a/industry/10.csv, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/nebraska-counties?period=2016 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_counties_in_nebraska_by_2016,
  author = {{U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics}},
  title = {{Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average employment, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties: Counties in Nebraska by covered employment (QCEW), 2016}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2016/a/industry/10.csv},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/nebraska-counties?period=2016. Publisher attribution: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average employment, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2016/a/industry/10.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
TI  - Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average employment, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties: Counties in Nebraska by covered employment (QCEW), 2016
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/08/21
PB  - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2016/a/industry/10.csv
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/nebraska-counties?period=2016
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/nebraska-counties?period=2016.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average employment, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2016/a/industry/10.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  - 
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Questions

Which county has the highest covered employment (QCEW)?

Douglas County, with 336,971 jobs in 2016, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Which county has the lowest covered employment (QCEW)?

McPherson County, with 78 jobs in 2016.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average employment, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Covered employment (QCEW): other rankings

Counties in Nebraska: more rankings